March 06,
Chennai based Nichi-In Centre for Regenerative Medicine (NCRM)
today signed an agreement for a technical collaboration with Tokyo based Biotherapy Institute of Japan (BIJ) in providing Cell Therapeutics
to cancer patients and to pursue research on expanding the same to those
afflicted with HIV.

The body’s
innate immune mechanism acts against tumor cells (cancer) and viruses by
certain subset of T Lymphocytes such as Natural Killer Cells (NK Cells),
Dentritic Cells (DCs) and Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes (CTLs) as well as
activation of lymphocytes by several mechanisms involving cytokines. The
above cells actually kill the viruses and tumor cells which is a routine
process in the body. But when the immune system is severely affected or
the disease process is immense and beyond the control of the body’s immune
mechanisms, the activation of the lymphocytes and multiplication of the NK
cells, DCs and CTLs in vitro (Outside the body – in the laboratory)
becomes essential. Such in vitro activation of the immune cells has been
in practice in Japan, USA and several developed nations and M/S Biotherapy
Institute of Japan have been practicing this treatment for more than a
decade in Japan for patients with Cancer of Liver, Lungs, Pancreas,
Breast, Renal Cell Carcinoma, Malignant Melanoma, Lymphomas and blood
cancers with relatively good results and above all since this treatment
uses the patients own cells taken from the peripheral blood, doesn’t have
any rejection problem.

NCRM, having
signed a collaborative agreement with BIJ would be bringing the technology
which is known as Autologous Immune Enhancement Therapy (AIET) to
India which would benefit patients suffering from above cancers and also
immune deficiencies.

Dr. Hiroshi
Terunuma, a cell biologist turned immunologist, technical director of BIJ
and Dr Samuel JK. Abraham, of Dept of Cardiac Surgery, Yamanashi
University also Director, NCRM would be in-charge of the project in Japan
and India respectively.